WIP basic male mesh

Jeckari

So, this is the state of my first attempt at character modeling, which I've been fiddling with during my nights and weekends, so to speak. The goal here is to put together a nice basic male mesh that I can tweak and use in future projects.



If you're interested, this is what I had to show about two weeks ago, when I was told "It doesn't really look human yet, consult some references and focus on the basic shapes / proportions." That was some excellent advice, as I'd already started in on the anatomy and things were looking rather wonky.

I like to think I've made some pretty decent progress on the basic shapes since then, but I've seen how a few words of constructive advice can really make a difference in where things are headed...

So please, hold nothing back. What am I doing wrong, what areas should I focus on in the next few days, etc? Should I keep tweaking the basic shapes, or move on to other areas? (I've spent a lot of time messing with the torso but not so much on the limbs, and so logic would say that those could probably use work, but I've spent so long staring at the thing tonight that I'm not sure I see everything I should be seeing)

Anyways, thanks in advance! I don't really come from an art background (at all), but I'm looking forward to learning as I go. The talent here always impresses me, and makes me want to strive to be better.

Brandon.LaFrance

Hey, Jeckari, it looks like you're starting to get handle on proportions. I think your hands and feet could be a bit bigger, but for the most part, your proportions are off to a pretty solid start.

It looks like you've started to get into the musculature, and although it looks like most of the major forms are there, you may be getting ahead of yourself. I would recommend studying the skeletal landmarks before diving into the musculature. Because the skeleton is rigid, judging the position of these landmarks is much easier, and will provide you with a solid foundation for organizing the muscles.

These bony landmarks are the points on the body where the hard surface of the bone is not obscured by other tissues, and are easily visible just below the skin. You'll want to become familiar with their locations and their forms.

Torso:
Clavicle
Sternum
Costal Cartilage
Spine of the Scapula
Acromion Process of the Scapula
7th Cervical Vertibrae
Anterior Superior Iliac Spine
Posterior Superior Iliac Spine
Sacrum
Pubic Tubercle

Upper Extremeties:
Lateral & Medial Epicondyles of the Humerus
Olecranon of the Ulna
Styloid Process of the Ulna and Radius
Ulnar Furrow
Carpals and Phalanges of the Hand

Lower Extremeties:
Greater Trochanter
Lateral & Medial Epicondyles of the Femur
Patella
Head of the Fibula
The entire anterior surface of the Tibia
Lateral & Medial Malleolus
Calcaneus
Tarsals and Phalanges of the Foot

Skull:
Frontal Bone
Zygomatic
Nasal Bone
Mandible
Mastoid Process

After typing all that out I realized that might have been information overload, but its not as daunting as it looks. Just take it slow, spending a day or more on each section. Google each of the terms, locate them on your own body, and try to incorporate them into your sculpt. Take care to note their general shape and orientation relative to one another. They are like the scaffolding that hold the muscles together.

From there you'll want to start learning the major muscle groups, and their origins and insertions. I'll save that post for another day.

Jeckari

Thank you, that's exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. It's very heartening to know that the proportions look mostly alright (though now that you mention it, yeah, I'm going to spend more time on the hands and feet), and you've given me a great area to focus on next. I'd heard about the bony landmarks before, but hadn't really put due diligence in as far as studying them goes.

Thanks again! I'll post a (hopefully much improved) update in a week or so.